Switch operating device



` Aug 21, 1956 A. J. FRlEsEN I SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE Filed July 31. 1953 INVNToR. .'Zfred JFrzeSen/ lialhg ATTORNEY nited States Patent() SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE Alfred J. Friesen, Flint, Mich.

Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,645

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-172) The present invention relates t-o a switch operating device and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided an attachment for a conventional lever operated wall switch and which m-ay be fastened to the conventional cover plate of such wall switch by utilizing the two screws which conventionally extend therethrough. The device consists essentially of a frame in which is vertically slidable a block having a centrally located opening through which the conventional lever is adapted to extend. Channels are provided within the lframe for a pair of dependent cords and the device is such that the lever of the switch may be operated by selectively pulling downwardly upon the cords. In another form the invention may assume the device is incorporated into a cover plate structure which is adapted to replace the conventional cover plate of the wall switch.

Itis accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forth having novel means for operating a conventional lever type wall switch by means of dependent cords forming part of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel slidable block forming a part of the invention.

A further object `of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a frame having a novel arrangement of channels, such frame and channels both forming parts of the invention.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which may be quickly and easily attached to a conventional lever operated wall switch without the necessity for altering the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and etlicient in use.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational View of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2 2 of Figure l,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a modified form the invention may assume.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a wall having an opening 11 therein in which is positioned a switch box 12 having a switch housing 13 mounted therein and held in position by means of a bridge bar 14 which, in turn, is fastened to the box 12 by means of screws 15. The switch 13 is provided with a vertically movable switch lever 16 which projects forwardly therefromI and through an opening 17 in a cover ICC plate 18a, the latter being fastened to the bridge bar 14 by means of screws 18.

The structure described in the paragraph above is all conventional. One form of the present invention is shown in Figures l to 4, inclusive, and consists of a frame generally designated at 19 and comprising a rear wall 20 having a centrally disposed substantially rectangular opening 21 therein, a bottom Wall 22, a t-op wall 23, side walls 24 and a front wall 25 provided with a relatively large vertically extending substantially rectangular window 26.

Spaced inwardly from one of the side walls 24 is a partition member 27 which interconects the bottom wall 22 with a horizontal partition member 28 spaced inwardly from the top wall 23, the partition member 28 extending to a point adjacent the vertical axis -of the frame 19. It will be seen that the partition 28 forms with the top wall 13 a channel 29 which communicates with a channel 30 formed by the partition 27 with its adjacent side wall 24. The bottom wall 22 is provided with an opening 31 in the lower end of the channel 30.

Inwardly spaced from the other side wall 24 and extending from the top wall 23 downwardly to a partition member 32 is a partition member 33. The partition member 32 extends from its adjacent side wall 24 to a point adjacent the vertical axis of the frame 19 and forms with the bottom wall 22 a channel 34. The bottom wall 22 is provided with an opening 35 adjacent the extreme inner end of the channel 34. The rear wall 20 has integrally formed therein a pair of vertically spaced recessed lugs 36. There is also provided a substantially rectangular block 37 which is slidably mounted in the frame 19 between the rear wall 20, the forward wall 25 and the partitions 27 and 33. The block 37 is centrally provided with a circular aperture 38. A cord 39 is atixed at one of its ends, as indicated at 40, to the upper portion of the block 37 and extends vertically upwardly to the channel 29, thence through the channel 29` and downwardly through the channel 30 and finally through the opening 31, the free end of such cord having affixed thereto a button 41 having suitable indicia inscribed thereon, as indicated at 42, the indicia in this case being the word ofi A cord 43 is atixed, as indicated at 44, to the lower portion of the block 37 and extends vertically downwardly to the channel 34, thence through such channel to the opening 35 and thence downwardly to a button 45 likewise having indicia thereon, as indicated at 46, the indicia in this case being the word on In the operation of this form of the invention, it will be apparent that the device may be quickly and easily attached to the conventional wall switch above described by merely removing the screws 18 from the cover plate 18a and thereafter inserting the same through the forward face of the rear wall 20, it being apparent that the heads of the screws 18 will be accommodated in the recesses in the lugs 36 and that the screws may then beI reinserted through the cover plate 18a and again threadably engaged with the bridge bar 14. As the frame 19 is thus mounted upon the conventional cover plate 18a the lever 16 will be m-anipulated easily through the opening 21 in the rear wall 20 and through the opening 38 in the block 37. It will now be seen that by pulling downwardly upon the button 45 that the cord 43 will cause a downward movement of the block 37 and a consequent downward movement of the switch lever 16. A downward movement upon the cord 39 will cause an upward movement of the block 37 thus causing an upward movement of the lever 16. By properly positioning the buttons 41 and 45 upon the cords 39 and 43, it will be apparent that the switch may be closed by a downward pull on the button 45 bearing the indicia 46 while the switch may be opened by pulling downwardly upon the other cord.

Referring now to the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, it will be apparent that the frame 19 therein shown is identical with that above-described with regard to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, and that the only difference in the structure of Figure 5 is the provision of an integrally formed outwardly and rearwardly extending ange 48, it being apparent that in this case the cover plate 18a may be eliminated entirely since the frame 19 and its flange 48 make the cover plate unnecessary and the screws 18 may be utilized to directly connect the frame 19 to the bridge bar 14. It will also be apparent that the operation of the device shown in Figure 5 is identical with that heretofore described with regard to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inelusive.

While I have herein described the specic forms which the invention may take, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art which still fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In combination with a lever-operated wall switch, the provision of a box-like frame structure attachable to said switch, said frame structure including a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, an upper wall, a lower wall, and partition walls dividing the interior of said box-like frame structure into a vertically elongated central compartment and cord guiding channels outwardly of said central compartment, said rear wall having a relatively large opening therein inwardly of said partitions through which the lever of the switch extends, said lower wall having a pair of spaced apertures therein communicating with said cord guide channels adjacent the opposite side walls of said boxlike frame, a vertically slidable element in the central compartment of said frame and guided in its vertical movement by said front, rear, and partition walls, said slidable element being provided with an opening into which the lever of the switch extends for movement of said lever upon slidable movement of said element, and remotely controllable means for selectively moving said slidable element upwardly and downwardly, said means comprising a pair of cords axed to said slidable element and extended through separate cord guide channels and outwardly through the spaced apertures in the lower wall.

`2. In combination with a lever-operated wall switch, the provision of a box-like frame attachable to said switch, said frame including a rear wall having an vopening therethrough, a front wall, upper, lower, and side walls connecting said front and rear walls, and a pair of vertical partition walls spaced from said side walls and together with said side, front, and rear walls provides channels, at least one end of each of said partitions terminating short of either an upper or lower wall, said lower wall having a pair of spaced apertures therein one adjacent each channel, a slidable element in said frame between said partitions and said front and rear walls andguided in its sliding movement thereby, said slidable element being provided with an opening into which the lever of said switch extends for movement of said lever upon sliding movement of said element, and remotely controllable means for selectively moving said slidable element upwardly and downwardly, said means comprising a pull cord aixed to the upper side of said slidable element and entrained over the upper end of one of said partitions before extending downwardly through a channel and then through an aperture in said lower wall, and a second pull cord affixed to the lower side of said slidable element and entrained under the lower end of the other of said partitions and outwardly through the other aperture in said lower wall.

3. In combination with a lever-operated wall switch, the provision of a box-like frame attachable to said switch, said frame including a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of side walls, an upper wall, a lower wall, and a pair of substantially L-shaped partition walls with one straight run of each parallel to and spaced inwardly from a side wall and with the other run of one partition inwardly spaced from the upper wall and terminating substantially midway of the length of said upper wall while the other run of the other partition is spaced inwardly from the lower wall and also terminates substantially midway of the length of said lower wall, said rear wall having a relatively large opening therein inwardly of said partitions through which the lever of said switch extends, said lower wall having apertures therethrough aligned substantially with the spaces between said partitions and said side walls, a slidable element in said frame in the space between partitions and said front and rear walls and guided thereby for vertical slidable movement, said slidable element being provided with an opening into which the lever of said switch extends for movement of said lever upon slidable movement of said element, and remotely controllable means for selectively moving said slidable element upwardly and downwardly, said means comprising a pull cord aiixed to said slidable element and extended downwardly between a run of one partition and said lower wall before passing outwardly of said frame through an aperture in said lower wall, and a second pull cord also afixed to said slidable element and extended upwardly into the space between the upper wall and the partition run adjacent thereto, then downward in the space between a side wall and the other run of the same partition and then outwardly through the other aperture in the lower wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,257,033 Bissell Sept. 23, 1941 2,354,224 Stein July 25, 1944 2,466,820 Oberschmidt Apr. l2, 1949 2,493,581 Hood Jan. 3, 1950 

